The present invention is directed to office chairs, and, more particularly, to mechanisms for providing flexibility and adjustability to portions of an office chair.
The market for office seating continues to demand more than just a place to sit. Today's users want comfort, function, and a high degree of adjustability, all in an aesthetically pleasing configuration. More recently, it is known for office chairs to have a back support structure that includes a flexible material, such as a woven mesh fabric, attached in tension to a peripheral frame. These arrangements can provide a high degree of comfort, even over extended periods. They are, however, typically limited by the rigidity of the peripheral frames. These frames must generally be rigid in order to support the mesh fabric in tension, and the rigidity places limits on the flexibility of the back support. In some cases, user's may seek a degree of lateral flexibility in the back support for added comfort and a great range of movement whilst seated in the office chair.
In order to adapt office chairs for users of different sizes, it is also know to provide mechanisms for adjusting the depth of the seat surface, between the front edge of the seat and the back support. This distance can greatly impact the location at which the user feels pressure underneath the thighs, and thus impact the comfort level of the seat as a whole. Difficulties can arise in the implementation of such mechanisms, for instance, in that extension or contraction of the seat front edge can results in unwanted stretched or excess fabric.